Method of producing organic acids



1 UNITED s'rass ARTHUR Al BACKHAUS, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNGR TO U. S. IETDUSTRIAL ALCOHOL CO., A CORIPORATION OF WEST -VIRGINIA.-

METHOD OF PRODUCING ORGANIC ACIDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented For. 5% 7 No Drayving. Original application filed October 22, 1917, Serial No. 197,886. Divided and. this appli- (lation filed January 29, 1919. Serial No. 278,781.

i T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR A. Baux- HAUS, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods for Producing Organic Acids, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates particularly to a process of producing acids from materials 'of various kinds, but it has application Wheat, rye, barley, corn, etc.

An object of my invention is, furthermore, to obtain oxalic acid, as well as volatile or anic acids.

An 0 ject ofImy invention is, in addition,

to provide a process of this character whereby the quantity of acids may be increased by the addition of catalysts.

' i For example, I may A further ob'ect is to bring about the production of such acids more quickly and. at

lower temperatures than would be possible without the presence of the catalysts.

Still another object of my invention is to make use of metallic oxids'such as catalysts.

Further objects of my-invention will appear from the detailed description thereof contained hereinafter.

While my invention is capable of embodiment in'many difierent'forms, for the purpose of illustration I shall describe only certain forms of my invention hereinafter. roceed as follows: A quantity of the disti lery waste or slop,

havmg had the alcohol removed'therefrom,

is evaporated inthe usual way to form a magma, which may have a density of 25 B. or higher. This may be mixed in the V proportion of twenty-five arts by weight of magma to e1ght parts y weight of a caustic alkali. as. for example caustic soda. and one part of the catalyst, which may be ferric oxid (Fe. .0 manganese dioxid (Ninth), or cerium oxid (Cefih). The mixing is continued until the alkali has-become completely dissolved. The mixture is tl upon heated to a temperature of from 1. 30 to 250 C. for from 4 to 20 hours. Where the temperature is low, the treatment is for a longer period of time than u the tom-- peratu're is higher. 'ildheetie i in the presence of the catalyst is to bring about the production of oxalic acid, as well volatile organic acids, in larger quantity and at a lower temperature, as well as more quickly, than would be the case ii the alyst were absent,

The oxalic acid and volatile organic acids may be recovered and separated in any s.. able manner. However, by way of example,

I may proceed to recover and SCIAMU'R"? the 3 same in accordance with the process 1 .3- torth in the applications 0'1":

Arthur A. Backhaus and "l for process of treating distii Serial No. 203,351, filed llovornl 7 Arthur A. Baclrhaus and Ca I for method of treating distil wry Waste, Serial No. 197,885. filed October lSllZ.

Carl llaner, 31:, for process oi trea distillery waste, Serial No. 197,831 October 22, 1917.

Arthur A. Backhaus, for process of treat ing distillery Waste, Serial No. 197,88 filed October 22, 1917.

Dezso E. Kelen, for process 0 oxa c acid, Serial No. 197,848, 22, 1917.

This is a divisional application of my copending application upon process of producing organic acids, Serial No. 197,886, as filed October 22, 1.917,

While 1' have described my invention above in detail, I wish it to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit thereof. so

Claims:

1. The process which comprises produc ing salts of organic acids by heating, a mix: ture of distillery slop and a caustic alkali in the presence of cerium oxid, at a temper- 1e ature of from to 250 C.

2. The process which comprises produo ing oxalates by heating amixture of cancer.

trated disciiiery slop with a caustic alkali and cerium oxid, ata temperature of from 160? to 250 C.

The process which comprises producing oxalates by heating a mixture of coneeiitrated distillery slop with caustic soda and cerium oxid at a temperature of from 160 to 250 C.

' 4. The process Whh'll eomprlses producmg 10 oxalates by heating a magn'la of about 24 parts distillery waste with about 8 parts sodium hydroxid and about .1 part cerium oxid at a temperature of about 160 to 250 degrees for about i to 20 hours.

In testimony that I claim the foregoirig 15 I have hereunto set my hand. 4

ARTHUR A. BAG-KHAUS.

Witnesses: v

WILLIAM WATSON, LEON DAVID. 

